Located in the lovely town of Kotohira sits the oldest
operating Kabuki theater in Japan. The theater was built in 1835 and was quite
popular during the middle of the Edo period. The theater was built to imitate
the Onishi-Shibai (later Naniwa-za), one of the three theaters in Osaka at that
time. The name of this theater changed each time it changed owners. It became
the Kanamaru-za in 1990.
In 1970 the theater was designated as a Property of
National Cultural Importance. In 1972, the theater was relocated to its present
location. The move took four years to complete. Its former site is home to the
Kotohira Folk History Museum.
Since 1985, a show called the Shikoku Kompira Kabuki
Oshibai has been performed at Kanamaru-za and it's very popular in the spring.
It's said that even locals have difficulty getting tickets to Kabuki
performances.
The theater is completely original. It has no electricity
inside. It offers performances only during the daytime as it's lit inside by
candles and lanterns. Lighting is controlled by shades and blinds as well.
The theater features all the elements of a traditional
Kabuki theater.
Elevated walkway –This runs
from the back of the theater to the left of the stage through the seating area.
Trapdoor – Located on the walkway
near the stage. This stealthy entrance is where ninjas, ghosts and other actors
rise up during performances.
Sliding lift – The kakesuji is
a lift that takes the actor over the walkway to perform in mid-air.
Human powered revolving stage –
A round board (7.3 meters in diameter) located in the center of the stage,
which is rotated from below by burly stage hands.
Stage
elevator – Off the revolving stage. An actor can be lifted from the trap cellar
onto the stage.
Illumination windows – The
windows are used to darken or lighten the theater during the performance.
Paper lanterns – During
performances, the lanterns show the ranking of the actors.
Grapevine trellis – A ceiling
formed by 500 sticks of bamboo in a grid pattern, the trellis can be used to
scatter confetti into the theater.
Cellar – The space below the
floor of the stage and elevated walkway is used to operate the revolving stage
and for raising and lowering actors from the trapdoor. This is all done
manually.
Walking tours of the theater are available and they offer
a glimpse into the Edo era. The tour guide is quite informative and helpful.
After the tour, you can walk around the theater on your own. It's amazing to
see the dressing rooms, the private bath and even a walk down the narrow steps
to the cellar is fascinating. If you go to Kotohira, I recommend a visit to Japan’s
oldest working Kabuki Theater, Kanamaru-zu.
